Machine for cutting box-blanks



No. 649, |I2. Patented May 8,1900;

' H. B. SMITH.

MACHINE FOB CUTTING BOX BLANKS.

(Application filed Mar. 8, 1900.)

1 (No Model.)

---NI"1ED STATES PATENT; OFFICE.

MACHINE FOR CUTTlNG BOX-BLANKS SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 649,112, dated May 8, 1900.

Application filed March 8, 1900. Serial No. 7,801. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY B. SMITH, acitizen of the United States,residing at New York, (Brooklyn,) Kings county, State of New York, haveinvented certain new and I useful Improvements in Machines for CuttingBox-l3lanks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improved means for forming the cut-awaycorners of paperf box blanks, and has forits object to provide improvedmeans by which the corners of the bore-blank are cut away at a singleoperation in an accurate, uniform, and expeditious manner.

To this end my invention consists in the improvedconstrnction of cuttingmechanism arranged and. operating in the manner herethe machine.

'inafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims followingthe description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification, wherein- Figurel is a view,partially in side elevation and partially in section, of my improveddie-cutting apparatus embodied in an organized operative machine. Fig. 2is a top plan view of the nether die and the bed or table of Fig. 3 is abottom plan View of the upper die. Fig. i is a view of the boxblank,illustrating the configuration of the cut-away corners shaped by thedie-cutting mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Fig. 5 is a topplan viewof the nether die of a modified form of die cutting apparatusemployed for imparting an angular shape or con figuration to the cornersof the box-blank, and Fig. 6 is a view of a portion of a boxblank,illustrating the shape or configuration imparted thereto by thedie-cutting apparatus illustrated in Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the frame of amachine by means of which my improved diecutting apparatus may beconveniently actuated and. showing the cutting-dies applied thereto inoperative position. On the upper portion or top of the frame 1 is atable or bed 2, from which rises abifurcated or forked upright3,'tern1inating in vertical guideways 4. Arranged to reciprocatevertically in the guideways i is aheadwhich it is designed to cutaway.

stock 5, which, as shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings, is preferablytriangular in crosssection at its lower end or so shaped as to presenttwo fiat vertical faces 6, that are formed at right angles to eachother, corresponding to the angular shape of the corner of a rectangularbox. Pivoted between the two memwhich is mounted a weight 10, thatoperates to normally hold the lever in a position to maintain thehead-stock in its elevated posi' tion. On the right-angular face 6 ofthe headstock is rigidly fixed-as by screws, for example-a die-cutter11, comprisinga blade right angular in cross-section and provided at itsapex with a forwardly-projecting extension corresponding in shape to theportion of the corner of the bottom of the box-blank For example, asillustrated in Fig. 3, .the rectilinear converging faces 12 of thediecutter are formed at right angles to one another, and at their apexsaid faces extend outward in divergentlines, forming faces 13, which aredisposed at right angles to one another, each one of saidfaces 13 lyingin a plane parallel to the plane of the face-12 on the opposite side ofthe die-cutter. The outer ends of the faces 13 are united by a concaveweb 14, formed on the are of a circle. .The faces 12, 1'3, and 1t arebeveled and sharpened at their lower edges, as indicated at 15, Fig. 1of the drawings, to form cutting edges. As shown most clearly in Fig. 3of the drawings, the opposite faces 12 and 13 of the die-cutter do notlie in the same vertical plane, the plane of each face 12, if projectedor extended, lying slightly in front of the plane of the face 13 on theopposite side of the die-cutter, the purpose being to cut off the endsof the side flaps of the box-blank, so that when their ends are bentinto shape they will just abut, as will. more fully hereinafter beexplained.

On the bed 2 is arranged a table 16, in which is formed a recess 17,approximately immediately beneath the latter.

the shape of the head-stock 5-and arranged Screwed or bolted to the uper side of said table, along the right-angled edges of said table, aretwo die-plates 18, provided with knife-edges 19, that are arrangedto liein close juxtaposition to the faces 12 of the die-cutter 11 when thelatter is forced down into the recess 17. The adjacent ends of thedie-plates are at true right angles to the knife-edges that coact withthe faces 13 of the extension on the diecutter 11. The apex of therecess 17 merges into an approximately-circular recess 2l,in which isdisposed an intermediate die-plate 22, having a curved knife-edge23,corresponding to the curved shape of the blade or web.

14 of the die-cutter- The intermediate dieplate 22 is preferablycircular in. shape and is adjustably secured to the table by a screw 24,that passes centrally through said dieplate and is screwed into thetable, whereby cutter 11.

die-cutter.

by loosening the screw 24 the die-plate 22 may be turned around to bringa new cutting edge into position to coact with the cutting edge of theweb or blade 14 of the die- Gages 25 are adj ustably arranged on thetable 16 and operate as guides to center the box-blanks properly beneaththe die-cu tter.

The operation of my improved cutting mechanism will be readilyunderstood by those skilled in the art.

A rectangular piece of cardboard forming the blank from which the box isto be made is placed flat upon the table.16, and one corner is pushedbetween the gages 25 until the two sides of the blank lie in contactwith the faces of said gages. The blank will then be in proper positionto be operated on by the The lever 7 is then oscillated or rocked,causing the die-cutter 11 to descend onto the cardboard blank, and inits con tinued descent the cutting edges of the die-' of the generalshape of a triangle having a curved base 29. It will be seen, then, thatat a single operation the die-cutter removes the square corner of theblank, cuts 0d the ends of the flaps 27, and cuts away and rounds thecorner of the bottom 30 of the box. ranging the opposite faces 12 and 13of the die-cutter in slightly-different vertical planes,

. as before described, the flaps 27, after all four corners of the blankhave been cut in the manner described, are of such length that when theflaps-or sides 27 are bent up at right angles to the bottom 30 and theirfree ends bent or curved to conform to the rounded cut-away corners 31of said bottom their By arends will exactly abut, thereby forming smoothrounded corner with no projecting or overlapping ends or portions.

It will be obvious that various diiferentconfigurations may be given tothe corners of the box by altering the shape of the die-cutter. Forexample, instead of making the web 0! blade 14 of the die-cutter curved,as above described, it may be made rectilinear, in which case theintermediate die-plate 22 will be provided with one or more straightedges 32, corresponding to the rectilinear edge of the said bladeor-web. Such an arrangement will operate to'cut away the corner of theblank at; an angle, as indicated at in Fig. 6 of the drawings, therebygiving to the box beveled corners. In like manner other shapes may beimparted to the corners of the box. The intermediate die-plate 22 isshown as being provided with a plurality of straight faces 32.

Hence by loosening the screw 24 the die-plate may be lifted up and givena partial turn to bring a new cutting edge into operative position whenit becomes necessary or desirable.

' I have shown a machine of a well-known type for operating my improvedcutting apparatus, but no claim is made thereto per se,

.and any machine suitable for the purpose may be employed. a Havingdescribed my invention, what I claim is-- 1. A die-cutter for cuttingaway the corners of box-blanks, comprising a cutting-blade having twofaces arranged at a right angle to each other and provided at theiradjacent ends with right-angled extensions, and a cutting blade or webuniting the outer ends of said extensions, substantially as describedand for the purpose specified.

2. A die-cutter for cutting away the corners of box-blanks, comprising acutting-blade having two faces arranged at a right angle to each otherand provided at their adjacent ends with right-angled divergentextensions, and a cutting blade or web uniting the outer ends of saidextensions, each of said rightangled faces of the die-cutter lying in adifferent vertical plane from but parallel to the extension on theopposite side of the die-cutter, substantially as shown and describedand for the purpose specified.

3. A die-cutter for cutting away the corners of box-blanks, comprising acutting-blade having two faces arranged at a right angle to each otherand provided at their adjacent ends with right-angled extensions, and acutting blade or web uniting the outer ends of said extensions,incombination with two fixed die-plates having straight. converging edgesarranged in approximate alin'ement with the cutting edges of the saidright-angled faces. of the die-cutter and an intermediate dieplatedisposed between the squared ends of the die-plates and having an edgecorresponding in contour to the cutting edge of the said blade or Web ofthe die-cutter, substantially as described.

4; A die-cutter for cutting away the corners of box-blanks, comprisingcutting-blade having'two faces arranged at'a right'angle to each otherand provided at their adjacent 5 ends with right-angled extensions, anda cutting blade or web uniting the outer ends of said extensions,incombination with two fixed (lie-plates having straight converging edgesarranged in approximate alin'ernentwith the no cutting edges of the saidright-angled faces of the die-cutter, and an intermediate dielatearranged between the squared end of edie-plate and having a plurality ofedges ter, said intermediate die-plate being rotatably adjustable topermit either of its edges to bebrouglit into operative positionrelatively scribed and for the purpose specified.

Zach corresponding in contour to the cutting -r5-edge of the said bladeor web of the die-cutto the said blade or web, substantially as de- 2o5. A die-cutterfo'r cutting away the corners of box-blanks, comprising-acutting-blade having two faces arranged at right angles to each' otherand provided at their adjacent ends with right angled extensions, and a25 curved cutting blade or web uniting the outer 3 endsof saidextensions, substantially as described.

In. testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing wito nesses. Y

HARRY B. SMITH.

Witnesses: PHILIP S. SMITH,

- ALMA G. STERN.

